Inquiry calls for Lyme funding, research

A Senate committee has recommended the federal government urgently increase funding for research into tick-borne disease in Australia and get to work on finding a treatment.

Thousands of Australians claim to be suffering from tick-borne Lyme disease, but medical authorities insist it’s not possible to contract the disease in Australia.

After a long-running inquiry into the existence of tick-borne disease in Australia, the committee’s report tabled on Wednesday recommends government medical authorities establish a clinical trial to determine a treatment protocol for patients.

It also recommends the Council of Australian Governments health council develop a national approach to addressing tick-borne illness.

The inquiry received more than 1200 submissions, many from people whose lives have been devastated by Lyme-like illness.